All About the Heart
by Thanat0s
Summary: Something weird happens to Akane. To her, it's obvious. But the others won't ever notice...poor girl...unless...
1. Prologue

**All About the Heart**

" " - speaking | ' ' - thoughts

* * *

"Yes! It is done."

  


"Well done. Now your mission has just gone a whole lot easier."

  


"It has indeed."

  


"Now go, and experience the happiness awaiting you. If anyone gets in the way, deal with them as you see fit."

  


* * *

It was another typical day in Nerima. Ranma and Akane arguing as usual about the most mundane things, Nabiki making fair..*ahem* Unfair transactions with goodness knows who, Kasumi who always had a cheery smile and took care of the house, and finally the two fathers, who would either be playing shogi or making up some unsuccessful plan to get Ranma and Akane together. Ever since Saffron's demise, Nerima, unwittingly, is now losing its jive. The same things happen over and over again. To see Kasumi scream, or Nabiki put money in a donation box, or even Ranma and Akane being CIVILIZED for more than five minutes on a non-life threatening situation would be ... unreal ... undescribable ... yeah you get the point ...

  


Meanwhile...

  


"Too slow! Come on!" Ranma sneered while dodging another upper cut sent by a furious Akane.

  


"Damn it! Hit me back!!!" Akane was screaming in frustration. She made a roundhouse kick towards Ranma's cheek. Ranma yawned and turned sideways, easily avoiding the deadly foot. Akane followed up with an elbow to his stomach, which Ranma subconsciously leapt back, all while gazing at the dojo walls with interest. After a few minutes Akane was down on the ground panting for breath, while Ranma stood, apparently still full of stamina, smirking. He swore he could do a perfect Moko Takabisha at the moment.

  


"Like I said...you're way too slow, and you put too much power on your punch! This is what I call a brawler's fight. Lots of uppercuts and dramatic looking kicks. You've seen those American movies where two macho men fight? That's what you're doing." Akane turned more and more red with anger, after being indirectly insulted by Ranma. 'Since when did HE become so ... subtle in his insults?'

  


"Grrr...RANMA NO BAKA!" She took out her trusty mallet and bashed Ranma out to hyperspace. She sighed and stared at the dojo wall. 'I really do want to learn..but with that idiot always taunting me it just doesn't help!'

  


Ranma, on the other hand just shook his head. 'I can dodge her every move, but I can't escape from a heavy wooden mallet that's slow as a turtle? Bloody clichés.'

  


* * *

"Hmmph. Akane Tendo. I will get my revenge. Because of you, I've seen hell!" The shady figure hopped from a building and ran stealthily towards the Tendo household. The figure jumped up to Akane's window, and quietly opened the window. It saw Akane sleeping peacefully. The figure growled. Finally it took out a powdery substance and sprayed it on Akane's face.

  


"Finally. You will no longer be a nuisance." With that, the shadow left, a smirk on its face.

  


* * *

'Ahhh....what a great day!' Akane stretched lazily and opened her eyes, and gasped in shock. "Where the hell am I?!" However the shock only deepened as she realized something was horribly wrong with her voice. Shaking, she slowly found her way to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. What she saw next.....

* * *

Author's notes: Sorry...it's short..but it's a prologue...I don't think I did a great job introducing the story. 

  
  



	2. Aiyah!

**All About the Heart**

" " - speaking | ' ' - thoughts

* * *

Akane could not believe her eyes. 'That face...that hair....no....this is just an illusion...this ain't real...' She reached to touch her hair. It was long, just as the mirror showed her. Akane shook her head violently. Suddenly she heard footsteps bounding towards her room. 'Ranma?'

  


"SHAMPOO!!! My love!" The door burst to reveal Mousse, the blind boy who's blindly in love, holding a bouquet of flowers.

  


'Oh my god!' Akane gaped. And fainted.

  


"Shampoo! Oi! Wake up!" Mousse gently shook Akane (Shampoo). No response. "Old ghoul! Come at once! I think Shampoo fainted!" In the kitchen of the Nekohanten, Cologne chuckled.

  


"Ah don't worry about it. She'll recover in no time." 'Good job Shampoo,' the matriarch added to herself.

  


* * *

Shampoo woke up from her slumber. She immediately looked at the surroundings and discovered they were exactly the way it was the night before when she visited Akane's room. She took out a mirror and looked at her face. "Oh good lord, I look so ugly! Blue, short hair, wide hips, small bust...hmmph...but definetely the one who Airen...no Ranma loves. Geez I can't start being my old self. I didn't practice out my new character – especially my Japanese - for one year for nothing." With one last chuckle, she opened the door to face the Tendos, and more importantly, Ranma. She proceeded to Ranma's room, where she saw him sleeping peacefully. She gently shook him.

  


"Wake up!"

  


*Snore* came the reply.

  


Unfazed, she kept rocking him around until finally, when she could take no more, gave Ranma a good hard push. Ranma immediately stood up, looking around wildly, getting into combat stance. When he saw Shampoo (Akane), he rolled his eyes.

  


"Oh it's you tomboy..." he said with a bored tone.

  


"Good morning." Shampoo replied. She giggled when she saw his reaction.

  


"Wha? Well...uh...good morning to you too..." Ranma scratched the back of his head. He was rather surprised that Shampoo (Akane) didn't mallet him after that comment.

  


"School's starting soon. I don't want to have to wake you up all the time." Shampoo (Akane) said with a slight menacing undertone. Ranma sighed in relief.

  


'Well..at least there's still some degree of normality in her...' Ranma proceeded down to the dining room and stuffed himself with Kasumi's breakfast. By the time Shampoo (Akane) finished, she headed out of the door. "Come on Ranma, let's go."

  


"Yeah yeah I'm coming..." Ranma replied. Soun just stared at Akane and Ranma. The waterfalls started up and flowed down his face.

  


"Oh Saotome-kun!"

  


No response.

  


"Uh...try again. OH SAOTOME-KUN!"

  


No response. The waterfalls abruptly stopped.

  


"Where the hell is he?!" 

  


* * *

"Akane Tendo! How nice of you to visit ever chivalrous me!" Kuno waved his bouquet in one hand, bokken in other. "Saotome Ranma! Release her from your vile mind grip!"

  


Shampoo (Akane) smirked and kept running towards Kuno, seemingly oblivious to his presence. A few seconds later, they collided, but Shampoo kept running while many students watched the kendoist fly up to the heavens. Ranma just stared in shock. He noticed that her battle aura has increased significantly since yesterday. 'Since when did Akane become so good!? It's not like I saw her train last night. Nah...it's just an illusion. I've been seeing too many battle auras.' His thoughts were interrupted by Shampoo (Akane) who grabbed his hand and ran into the classroom to begin their school day.

  


* * *

Lunchtime...

  


"Ran-chan!" Ukyo, who was grilling an okonomiyaki, waved at Ranma.

  


"Heya Ucchan." Ranma waved back.

  


"Want an okonomiyaki?"

  


"Nah...I have lunch already." Ukyo glared at Shampooo (Akane) who followed Ranma.

  


"You're gonna eat that slop from her?!" Shampoo (Akane) glared back.

  


"Slop? This is made by Kasumi."

  


"Oh sorry. How stupid of me." Ranma laughed.

  


"Seeing me with Akane's cooking is like seeing a pig fly!" Ukyo pointed behind Ranma, who turned around. Behind him, Shampoo (Akane) fumed, but not with too much success.

  


"RANMA!!"

  


"Oops...uh...sorry?" Ranma put his hands up to avoid the almighty mallet.

  


"Don't worry." Shampoo (Akane) flashed a seductive smile. Ranma gulped.

  


"Akane? Are you ok?" 

  


"Well I was...but now that you've asked me..."

  


A few seconds later, Ranma was on the ground with Xs as eyes.

  


"How dare you hurt my Ranchan!" Ukyo got into combat stance.

  


"Hmmph! Sp-Ukyo, wanna fight it out?" Shampoo (Akane) did likewise. Ukyo looked surprised. 'Akane? With that battle aura? She's that good?' But she didn't have much time as Shampoo (Akane) charged towards her. Ukyo managed to bring out her combat spatula in time to avoid Shampoo's punch. The fight raged on. Many of the students looked in shock, especially Nabiki.

  


"Since when did Akane become that good in fighting?" One student asked.

  


"Beats me. But the more important question is, I thought Akane gets mad so easily?"

  


Nabiki stared at the two combatants. 'Akane has sure improved in fighting...but I don't understand how it could happen so fast...I have to take a look into what the heck's going on.' She left the scene.

  


Ranma meanwhile recovered from the punch, and seeing Akane fight Ukyo he immediately shouted, "STOP!" Both girls looked at him. Ranma continued, "You OK both of you?" Both girls nodded, and glared at each other. Just as they were about to fight again the bell rang.

  


Ukyo said to Shampoo (Akane) with an icy tone, "You're lucky this time."

  


Shampoo (Akane) smirked in reply. Ukyo left the cafeteria, partly mad, partly confused. 'Akane has improved so much. But how?'

  


Ranma looked at Shampoo. He noticed a small gash on her arm. Instinctively, he took it, and gazed at the wound. "Does it hurt or not?"

  


"No, it's ok." Shampoo smiled at Ranma. He blushed in reply, which deepened when he realized he was holding her arm. Shampoo, too, blushed as she saw Ranma's face. "Come on, let's go to class?"

  


"Umm..sure..." with that, they both left the cafeteria.

  


* * *

"Come on my child, you gotta work harder than that. You're getting lazy!" Cologne said to Akane (Shampoo).

  


"Yeah hold on...geez." Cologne glared at Akane (Shampoo).

  


"You will treat me with respect, Shampoo."

  


"Sorry, GREAT-grandmother." Akane was visibly annoyed. Suddenly she noticed Ranma and...herself? walking together. She gaped in surprise. 'No way! That stupid bimbo!' Peering closer, she also noticed that Ranma was walking side by side, and was very close to Shampoo (Akane), not on the fence! Akane couldn't help but let the tears fall down her face. She knew she couldn't do anything because Ranma doesn't know about the situation. Suddenly she had an idea.

  


"Great-grandmother. Can I go out? I can see Ranma there, and I found an ingenious way to get--"

  


"No. You will stay." Akane gasped.

  


"But Ran--"

  
"I said, you will stay."

  


"Look Great-grandmother. If you don't let me go those two might elope or something and I cannot let that happen! And..." she added evilly, "you don't want the Council to know that such an event has occurred right?"

  


Cologne sighed. If she let Akane go she may spoil everything, but if she didn't then many people would think something's wrong. "Very well. You can go."

  


"Thank you."

  


* * *

Ranma and Shampoo (Akane) were walking towards home, side by side. Neither said much, but Ranma noticed that it was unusually peaceful. For Ranma, this was very rare, and he evidently enjoyed the peace and quiet with who he thought was Akane. Tentatively, he held out his hand, just like in Ryukenzawa (is that right?) Shampoo gladly put her hand on his, which sent electricity to both of them, much more on Ranma.

  


"Hey Akane?" Ranma looked at Shampoo.

  
"Mmm?"

  


"It's...it's so peaceful. Don't you think? And there's no Shampoo around either." Shampoo suppressed the urge to growl.

  


"Yeah..." They kept on walking.

  


"So um...how did your fighting improve so quickly? In one night as well?"

  
"Well...let's just say it was a matter of bringing out my potential." 'Wow that was a good lie,' Shampoo thought.

  


"True. You did have lots of potential. Gee...I actually said that." Ranma scratched his head nervously. Shampoo put a hand on Ranma's cheek and kissed it. Ranma felt his legs wobble.

  


"Thanks. That was really nice of you to say."

  


"Akane?"

  


"Yeah?"

  


"You want to know something?" Ranma twiddled his thumbs nervously. Shampoo looked at him.

  


"What is it?"

  


"I...I...l-l-..." Ranma looked around to see if there's any sign of spying. Coast clear. "I love you." Shampoo (Akane) gasped. "Oh Ranma...I love you too!" And flung herself on Ranma. Ranma hugged back, smiling all the time. But he noticed that something about the hug was unnerving, something familiar. 'Pssh, I really need some Prozac. I'm starting to think Akane is Shampoo...what a joke.'

  


From a bush not far away, Akane silently sobbed. 'Ranma...I do love you too...but...too bad it's not really me you're hugging...' For the first time, she felt helpless. She wasn't her usual confident self anymore. Sighing, she turned away as the 'couple' moved in to kiss.

  


* * *

  


Author's notes: Umm...I'm stuck on how to describe Akane or Shampoo....should I wirte like how I did? Like Akane (Shampoo) and Shampoo (Akane) where parentheses are the body forms? Anyone with better ideas? Reviews greatly appreciated :).

  


BTW Shampoo can speak Japanese in this fic...I changed it a bit so it assumes Shampoo's Japanese improved over the year.

  
  



	3. Chapter 2 I'm so original :P

**All About the Heart**

" " - speaking | ' ' - thoughts

  


NOTE: All right, I decided, the way to describe Akane and Shampoo follows

  


Shampoo (Akane) is really Shampoo

Akane (Shampoo) is really Akane

  


The name in parentheses is the body name. Also, in subsequent mentions I'll just put the name...you guys can figure it out right? Yay~ let the story continue

  


* * *

"Wow..." Shampoo (Akane) breathed. Ranma, too, seemed out of breath. Soon after the declaration of love, the two people melted into a kiss, which lasted quite a while.

  


"That...was great...Wha?!" Ranma suddenly noticed a figure running away from them. Instantly he recognized the figure. "Purple hair," he muttered, "Shampoo. Man why did she have to be here?" But Shampoo put a finger on his lips.

  


"Don't worry about that bimbo. Come on, let's go home." Ranma nodded, took her hand, and headed back to the Tendo dojo.

* * *

Akane ran.

  


She could not bear to look any further. It was already hell for her to witness Ranma to lean forward to kiss Shampoo. Although she wasn't exactly jealous since it was after all her body Ranma was kissing, she was still heartbroken and mad at the same time. Suddenly she stopped. 'That's it,' she thought. 'The true test comes now then...Ranma may love me, but is it the body he loves? Or does he love me for who I am? Me? I don't really care about his curse...so I guess I pass. Now...I can only hope.' What a bittersweet revelation. Now she could only hope. With that she went back to the Nekohanten.

* * *

"We're home!" Ranma shouted, stepping in the Tendo household.

  


"Ah good evening! Oh my!" Kasumi dropped the plate of food she was holding when she noticed Ranma and Shampoo (Akane) linking arms. Good thing Soun was there and caught the plate, but he too soon lost control when noticing Ranma and Shampoo. Finally the plate rested on the hands of Nabiki, who rolled her eyebrows at the couple...wait COUPLE! Sadly, the unfortunate plate of food crashed down to the ground.

  


"Since when did you two actually become a couple??" Nabiki asked, smirking.

  


"Uh..." Ranma turned beet red with embarrassment.

  


"Today." Shampoo replied with confidence.

  


"Tendo-kun! I don't believe this!" Genma cried, patting Soun's back.

  


"Ah! But it is fact! There's no need to believe! Hahahaha!" Without warning, Soun's demeanor suddnely changed from delirious happiness to a stern, father-like, serious look. "Where were you this morning Saotome-kun?"

  


Genma stopped his chewing. "Sleeping, why?"

  


"Did you not hear me call you this morning?!"

  


"No?"

  


"Are you trying to make yourself a rebel by avoiding our trademark cries of happiness whenever there's a so-called remote chance that Akane and Ranma are taking a romantic step forward?"

  


Mass facefault ensued.

  


"Bwee!" Ranma turned sharply around and noticed P-chan hobbling in the backyard. "P-chan! How are YOU doing now," he greeted the black piglet snidely. P-chan growled. Its eyes brightened when he saw Shampoo. He jumped towards Shampoo, who had her arms open. Just as the pig was about to latch itself on her body, Shampoo made a 'stop' sign and stopped P-chan in the middle of the flight. Everyone looked at Shampoo in surprise, especially Ranma.

  


"Sorry Ryoga, but...my heart belongs to Ranma..." P-chan fainted. Ranma's eyes were on the verge of popping out when he heard Shampoo talk.

  


"Akane?! When did you find out?!"

  


'What?!' Shampoo thought, 'Akane still doesn't know who the hell P-chan is!?' "Uh...it's fairly obvious...the bandana, your comments..."

  


"Umm...you *just* figured it out?" Shampoo gave Ranma a whack on the head. "Baka."

  


'Still as uncute as ever...but seriously...how the hell did she figure it out?' The more he thought, the more confused he became. 

  


* * *

The next morning...

  


The Nekohanten was already busy with customers. Akane was barely keeping up with the restaurant's flow. Mousse noticed and offered to help, blind to the fact that he was usually rewarded with a splash or a punch. However that was Shampoo. Akane couldn't resist the temptation to relax and hurriedly gave the tray to Mousse and ran off to the back to get some rest. Mousse just stood there, smiling and very surprised. It took a whack on the head from Cologne's pogo stick to get him moving again.

  


Just as Akane was about to sit down Cologne hopped to her and asked her if anything was wrong.

  


Akane snapped, "Why don't YOU tell me what you did to me?!" Cologne chuckled.

  


"I didn't do anything."

  


"I'm Akane! In Shampoo's body! What the hell do you mean I didn't do anything?"

  
"You're delirious my child. Here, I just got an order of ramen. Can you go and deliver it?"

  


Akane knew that she wouldn't get her point across, so she grudgingly accepted the ramen, got on Shampoo's bike, and went towards the address given.

  


* * *

'Ahh, nothing like a good morning training, even though my head still hurts because of that tomboy and where I slept...' Ranma mused as he ran and did a flurry of martial arts moves at the same time. He was about to turn and do a nice kick when he collided with a bicycle. Ranma sighed. 'Shampoo's here...now for the inevitable...' Indeed he looked at the rider and saw Akane (Shampoo). He got himself prepared, awaiting the infamous glomp. But it never came. 

  


Ranma raised his eyebrow in confusion. "Um...hi Shampoo..."

  


Akane fought the urge to tell him about her situation. She knew he would find it ridiculous that such a thing could happen. 'Well,' she thought, 'I guess I'll be myself then...'   
  
"Hi Ranma."

  


* * *

Author's notes: Hehe...cliffy time ^_^. What are they going to say to each other? Stay tuned and find out! But first, R & R!

  
  



End file.
